AEG35156 has shown early evidence of activity in patients with advanced indolent B-cell lymphomas in Phase 1 trials and merits further evaluation in this disease. This trial is designed to determine the recommended dose of AEG35156 in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and indolent B-cell lymphomas.

AEG35156 will be given as a 2-hour intravenous infusion (escalating dose 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 mg) once weekly on Day 1, Day 8 and Day 15. One cycle of therapy will consist of 21 days. Patients will be treated until disease progression.

Patients must be pretreated for at least three days with allopurinol prior to the first dose of AEG35156 and throughout protocol therapy.

Patients must be hydrated with 1 L of normal saline prior AEG35156 infusion

Other Name: XIAP antisense

Detailed Description:

Apoptotic induction in cancer cells is a sought after therapeutic goal. Most successful anticancer agents activate apoptosis pathways in the cancers they treat. Apoptotic pathways in cells appear to converge on a single family of enzymes, the caspases, which are proteases that dismantle the cell in an orderly, non-inflammatory fashion, resulting in cell death. The X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis (XIAP) is the only known cellular inhibitor of caspases, its over expression thereby blocking the principal means of apoptosis. A wide range of evidence indicates that cellular overexpression of members of the IAP family is a fundamental means by which many cancer cells evade death, even in the presence of strong extrinsic (death receptor-mediated) and intrinsic (mitochondria-mediated) apoptotic cues. The inhibition of cellular XIAP activity, specifically in cancer cells under stress and primed for apoptosis by chemotherapeutic agents, is viewed as a powerful means of tipping the balance towards cell death. In particular, XIAP has been shown to be overexpressed in lymphoma. AEG35156 is a second generation antisense which targets XIAP mRNA to lower XIAP levels and the apoptotic threshold of cancer cells, enhancing their sensitivity to intrinsic death and chemotherapy. AEG35156 has shown early evidence of activity in patients with advanced indolent B-cell lymphomas in Phase 1 trials and merits further evaluation in this disease.

Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:

18 Years and older (Adult, Senior)

Genders Eligible for Study:

Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

No

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients with an histologically confirmed diagnosis of CLL as per NCI-WG criteria or

Patients with an histologically confirmed diagnosis of one of the following indolent B-cell lymphomas: (Follicular lymphoma (FL); Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL); Marginal zone lymphoma; Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma)

Relapsed or refractory patients who have failed at least 2 prior lines of therapy, one of which may have been high dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. Steroids alone when used for autoimmune phenomena do not qualify as prior therapy

ECOG performance less or equal than 2

Life expectancy of at least 3 months

Age greater or equal than 18 years

Signed, written IRB-approved informed consent

A negative serum pregnancy test (if applicable)

Acceptable liver function:(Bilirubin within normal limit; AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) less or equal than 2.5 x ULN or less or equal than 5 x ULN if there are liver lymphomatous involvement)

For women of child-producing potential, the use of effective contraceptive methods during the study

Prior radiotherapy for local disease is allowed provided disease progression has been documented, and treatment completed at least 4 weeks prior to registration

Exclusion Criteria:

Uncontrolled autoimmune hemolysis and/or thrombocytopenia

Richter's transformation

Histologic transformation

Patients with peripheral neuropathy

Active progressive leptomeningeal disease including the presence of any related symptoms or need for corticosteroids. A CT or MRI scan of the head is necessary in patients with a history of leptomeningeal disease to document the stability of prior lesions

Pregnant or nursing women. NOTE: Women of child-bearing potential must agree to use adequate contraception (sterile or surgically sterile; hormonal or barrier method of birth control; or abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately

Men who are unwilling to use acceptable forms of birth control when engaging in sexual contact with women of child bearing potential

Serious nonmalignant disease that could compromise protocol objectives in the opinion of the investigator and/or the sponsor

Patients who are currently receiving any other investigational agent. Subjects who have used a previous antisense oligonucleotide in the last 90 days will be excluded

Unwillingness or inability to comply with procedures required in this protocol

Contacts and Locations

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the Contacts provided below.
For general information, see Learn About Clinical Studies.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00768339